St. Landry democrat., 1887-11-26

power of the chief executive from whom
| they have received their appointments!
Why. take the case OF the convention in
the Sixth congressional district. Does any
! man now seriously contend that that c5n-
vention did not deprive the great parish OF
| ST. Landry of Its lawful Democratic repre-
sensations Was that convention not attend
ed by
A LARGE NUMBER OF STATE OFFICIALS
living outside OF the Sixth district who
| worked and planned TO control and direct
! the c0nveutionl Who were these office hold
ersl Assessors and others from the city Of
| New Orleans! Why, take the meeting OF the
| state central committee, which denied tho
| right of the unConteSted delegates to parti-
cipHte IN the preliminary deliberations of the
committee. Take the list or members OF that
committee who made this ruling, and count
the officials on 1t, and see II their action does
not point to the dangers OF Il third term. In
every country every encroachment on popu-
| lar rights has taken the guls5 OF an effort to
benefit the people. 1t seems to me that the
real Insult TO the good sense ana patriotism
Of the people comes not from the opponents.
but from the advocates OF tne thlru term. Is
the state 80 sterile III Sons that IN order 10
elect ii governor we must do violence to orr
Consclences! Are tho people To be told that
they 80 depend on ono man that they must
continue him i'll powers
The True Result OF a Third Term.
The truth is that the real drift and aim OF
! TIE thlit term Is TO convert the tenure OF the
! chief executive from q limited one To one for
| lie or good behavior, the gDpH bFhuriOr
| U7c0m{Ng SHch bFhHri0r GS suits the jdrdS amt
| conceptions Of l'"5iir d"ty c"t"Ittir@d hu Hc
| ot''ri'tt% wfOm The chicf crrc"tire may hnrc
| ai'0t'Itd MIN.
In d speech in Shreveport a few days ago
| made by Il gentleman from the parish or De
soto this incident took place. Whist the
! speaker WAS arguing III favor of a third term
! one OF the audience who evidently conceded
| with his views. made the following Inter
| ruption AS long as we have got good
| man lot us keep him." What was the re-
| spOn6C To this interruption ''Ies, that Is
| what we are trying TO do.'
| Now analyZe that question and answer.
| Does II not show at once tlat III feeling the
| speaker had ceased, II may be unCO2sclous
| ~. but nevertheless really to ba a Demo
| crat AS long as we have got Sood man
| keep him, that is keep MIN as long As he Is
good. Is ILLS not tenure OF office
FOR LIFE OR GOOD BEHAVIOR
! If he is to be kept as long as he is good
would not this mean Tor life. II in the iuuS
meut OF the speaker hs continued good for
| that time!
| Indeed, the policy which was thus an
| nOuuctd involves the evident conclusion
| that We are to nave d governor with Il term
! uninterrupted by anything save misconduct
| on his part. II a more absolute destruction
| Of Inc principles OF democracy could be
| found than LnlS know not the meaning OF
| the English language.
The views which are thus urged now upon
| TIE Democratic party were tbs View enter
| talned by tne strongest tcderall5ts and
| against which the Democratic party, since
| the utr OF It's organization. has get It's face
| Ike lltnt.
| The same disiinguished gentleman az
| tempted IN his speech d. shreveport To meet
! the authorities TO when [ nave referred by
| an arguuIauL which submit Is inCouciustVe
| and unsound. That argument WAS this:
| Tie Original constitutions OF twenty seven
states IN the union contained provisions
against the tnird term. plIy ten now con
tain PROVISIONS against snlrd term; there
fore the states Wnlcn have adopted cnn5tItu-
lions leaving that provision unt nave sAuc-
toned the tllrd term and approve Ii. lhe
fdl!acy of the argument Is patent. In the
original formation or the government II was
necessary 10 express the objection 10 The
third term Oecaua6 OF tho fear that it might
be violated. AS Illne wore on the principles
of our government became Undecided IN the
minds of the people. Ihu2, rs II became
seli-evdent that the oppotltlon 10 third
term mad CrystatilZed into
AN USwRiTrES ASp SACRED LAW,
provisions fOrD!dd!ng Its violation became
~uptrituous.
fcannoo better illustrate this than by the
example OF tbs state of Mississippi 10 W lcn
| have already referred
In It's earlier constitutions there was a
written provision against a third term. In
The constitution OF Lne state IN Governor
stones lnCuMDenCy there was no sucn pro
vision. ana get when IL was attempted to re-
nominate Hlu Tor a third term IL disastrous
iy failed Failed not because the third term
was inhibited by the constitution IN eX-
pressed language, buL because II violate ell the
elementary ana uuNrltten law OF the Amerl-
can constitutions Yet IN the face OF TINS
precedent the gentleman from De Soto
won Il have tie people believe that the state
Of Mississippi ny failing to mention the Third
term III It's constitution had sanctioned It's
enforcement. Inc FIST OF THIS reasoning
after ali Is this. that where the third term Is
uot FOX hidden in the fundamental law il is
pepper TO establish II. Nny. the gravest
rights We enjoy under our republican system
are rot found written IL the constitution.
Ia Il meant TO contend that We have no
rights other than those expressed IN the
C0ustltu1lOni
Is there written provision against the
third term in the constitution OF the United
States Vet mas not the .hlrd term been at all
times and under AL circumstances forbidden
under that constitution / JaKe 1t that the
people OF this state have
TOO MUCH REGARD FOR THEIR LIBERTIES
and too much respect for the principles OF
republican govern menJ 10 be LED now by So
pnlstry To violate the great and fundamental
rule which mas been part ana parcel of our
unwrltten and sacred law. | say no-no, IA
thousand times no! Inc people Of the COM
nouwealth wln not be nIsteo. They Know
the necessity of maintaining the heritage of
tueir fathers. They are CONSCIOUS of their
responsibility to God ana their country.
Some force was attempted TO be derived by
the speaKer to WHOM [ have just referred
from the fact that instances of third term
obtained III the earlier history OF some OF the
states. No SUCH Instance has taken place IN
far I'm slJ,S1 a.lT-
the growth and permanency OF the Oppool-
tlop to third term IN all ths States Uf the
union.
Good Government Claimed to Have Re
suited FROM Governor McEnery No
Reason for Il Third Term
It is claimed, however, that Governor Nc
Euery's administration has neen 80 wise, SO
beneficial AMI so faithful that OF necessity
Is should be continued, not only for third
tern, but as have shown according to the
doctrine Of the gentleman from De soto, fer
an indefinite term.
IhB claim, even If tue. would not support
the conclusion. Analyzing tue claim iu-
wolves the same confusion OF thought which
has already Deen eXDueed. In otner words
IL Is SIMPLY this: ''Whenever you have IL
good governor who has wisely administered
he must be continued III office for that rea-
son" 1t denies, therefore, The proprlety or
advlsablllty OF change III the tenure Of
office except where the governor has been
bad one. In other words, We must elect q
bad governor IN order To elect II gooG one.
Examination of the Claims of Good Gov
eminent Upon Which it Is Sought
to Build Up the Necessity
OF u Third Term.
1t may be, however, that the extravagant
claims which have been advanced rs to the
condition Of our state may have Influenced
some minds. [ will therefore examine these
claims, in order to show our actual cundi-
ton. These claims cover principally the
schools, the finances, the levees.
The Schools
In a speech made the other day Governor
McEnery said, III speaking of the school
question: '5chool attendance has increased